I’ve been enchanted by the idea that rules are there to help a group play in a way it wouldn’t otherwise, but it’s dawning on me that doing this solely with strict mechanics is not a good idea. (I suspect I’m late to this party.) Positioning text and especially example play go a long way to communicating what the designer has in mind.
I’ve been enchanted by the idea that rules are there to help a group play in a way it wouldn’t otherwise, but it’s…
I’ve been enchanted by the idea that rules are there to help a group play in a way it wouldn’t otherwise, but it’s…
Why try to force a group to play a specific way? Rules and settings may encourage certain types of themes and interactions, but that doesn’t change players. A good game allows the players to do what they enjoy. If you are not happy with what your players enjoy then that might mean you should be looking for a different group because mechanics won’t wash that away.
Force? Never! I’m just talking about communicating a way of playing to a group that would appreciate it, but to which it doesn’t come naturally. I’m happy with my players. 🙂
That’s a fabulous idea! In one sense, an evocative game is all about helping another group of people to work with the designer’s vision. Those two aren’t the only factors, though. Consider how far the art goes; this is especially evident for AW and some of its hacks. Would you really think of Apocalypse World the same, if it didn’t have that edgy monochrome art?